We are finally here! After months
of planning and praying our group made it safely on Sunday afternoon to the
beautiful area of Botavia, a small city outside of Cincinnati. LifeStream Christian Church is our
base of operations. The amenities are simple, a stretch from what most of us
are used to back home. But spirits are high and the group has exhibited a
mature attitude of willingness every step of the way.
The mission team of 34 was divided
among a number of smaller crews, which were then assigned to roughly
half-a-dozen local ministries. Two of the largest assignments were Stepping
Stones and Matthew 25 ministries. Stepping Stones is a day camp for disabled
children. Each worker was assigned to an individual camper to spend the day with.
Their activities included water games, board games, dance parties, boating,
fishing, and valuable one-on-one conversations.
Another handful of crews spent the
day at Matthew 25 ministries. Matthew 25 takes in donations of everything from
clothes to household supplies and sends them to groups in need all over the
world. Our teams spent the day stuffing pillows and mixing paint. These options
allowed our team members to connect with other students from around the country
as well as a chance to get messy.
Before the trip every member of the
team was asked to memorize James 2:14-19. This short passage discusses the
relationship between faith and works. It begins as such, “What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no
deeds?” Every member on this team at one point in their lives has made a
claim to faith in Christ. Week of Hope asks the same question as James, what
good is a motionless faith? Pray this week that as our teens move their bodies,
God will move their hearts.
